Chinese and European Union leaders have held a press conference following the 14th China-EU Summit being held in Beijing.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao poses with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (L) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (R) after they met in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing February 14, 2012. [CNTV via Agencies]

The press briefing came after Premier Wen Jiabao met with EU president, Herman Van Rompuy, and European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso. Europe's debt crisis dominated the talks, while officials also touched on the crisis in Syria, Iran and a controversial EU carbon tax on airlines.

The annual summit was supposed to take place in October last year, but was postponed as EU leaders struggled to contain their debt crisis. The EU is China's largest export market, but shipments to Europe fell in January for the first time since last February due the trading bloc's economic troubles.

The Chinese Premier told the two European leaders, that the two sides are strategic partners and it's in the interests of both China and Europe to boost cooperation.

Wen Jiabao said, "China and the European Union should expand practical cooperation with an innovative and open mindset. Such cooperation is comprehensive, long term and mutually beneficial, it has a promising and broad prospect. In face of global economic competition, the two sides should view their common interests, strengthen and step up planning cooperation, in order to achieve a win-win situation from a strategic perspective."

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